Tennessee Farm Bureau HostsAgriculture U.S. Senate Forum

October 16, 2014

Cookeville, TN October 16, 2014 ““ The Tennessee Farm Bureau Federation hosted an agricultural forum for the two U.S. Senate nominees, Sen. Lamar Alexander and Democratic challenger Gordon Ball, at the Hyder-Burks Pavilion on the Tennessee Tech University campus.

Tennessee Farm Bureau volunteer leaders from across the state were in attendance as the candidates answered questions on issues concerning agriculture, the economy, labor and the environment.

“We are fortunate in Tennessee to have two candidates who are willing to share their thoughts on some of agriculture’s critical issues. Our farmers from across the state want to know their elected officials know and care about concerns affecting agriculture and we appreciate Senator Alexander and Mr. Ball’s willingness to serve as our voice in Washington, D.C.,” said Tennessee Farm Bureau President Lacy Upchurch.

This forum is the only time that both candidates will be addressing questions in the same location as well as speaking specifically to issues concerning agriculture and Tennessee. Both Senator Alexander and Gordon Ball began with opening remarks and then took turns answering questions about farm labor, stimulating rural economies, federal regulatory overreach on farms and questions from the audience.

Senator Alexander spoke in his opening remarks about sharing the concerns of rural people in Tennessee, “Our country is in trouble and I am running for a third term because I believe I can make a difference. It doesn’t help rural families to have rules regulating mud puddles and keeping kids from wanting to return to the farm. We need a new direction for our country.”

Both candidates spoke eloquently about their ideas on immigration reform and the environment, with Gordon Ball stating, “I am for the environment, for the farmers and as a rural person who grew up on the Pigeon River I know what it is like to be poor. Education is key to keeping our young farmers on the farm.”

Tennessee Farm Bureau is the largest Farm Bureau in the nation with a membership more than 600,000, and is a voluntary farm membership organization whose goal is to develop, foster, promote and protect programs for the general welfare, including economic, social, educational and political well-being of farm people of the great state of Tennessee.